Still no idea what to make of Diouf, but Owen is off at the end of next season and perhaps he can prove himself good enough to be a squad player here. Not every striker has to be Rooney to be useful to us.

Yes, of course it has. Ben Foster, Darron Gibson and John O'Shea are three. There are more and I just haven't thought of them yet. Cleverley too.

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Ben Foster was a reserve keeper who demonstrated he was not good enough to play for United when van der Sar was injured. He had a very promising season on loan but refering to what I originally asked, he was never good enough to be first choice for United.

Whether it was the loan spell which developed O'Shea into the player he is today is debatable, I think the spell at Bournemouth was negligible and that it was his patience and willingness to stay at United which benefitted him more than going on loan ever did.

As for Gibson, it remains to be seen. I don't think he is anywhere near good enough to play a key role for United but sincerely hope I'm proven wrong and he develops the other aspects of his game that desperately need work. The same goes for Cleverly insofar as it is too soon to judge, but it seems to me that he stands a better chance of developing into a quality player than Gibson.

Interesting. That is Diouf, Cleverly and Welbeck gone on loan. I reckon they will all do well, the teams style of play especially suit Cleverly and Diouf which will favour their progress. Still don't see Welbeck getting many games starting, but I'm sure Fergie must have agree some apperance deal with Brucey otherwise he wouldn't be letting him go their.

Interesting. That is Diouf, Cleverly and Welbeck gone on loan. I reckon they will all do well, the teams style of play especially suit Cleverly and Diouf which will favour their progress. Still don't see Welbeck getting many games starting, but I'm sure Fergie must have agree some apperance deal with Brucey otherwise he wouldn't be letting him go their.

Interesting. That is Diouf, Cleverly and Welbeck gone on loan. I reckon they will all do well, the teams style of play especially suit Cleverly and Diouf which will favour their progress. Still don't see Welbeck getting many games starting, but I'm sure Fergie must have agree some apperance deal with Brucey otherwise he wouldn't be letting him go their.

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Cleverley's staying with us, Wayne, Fergie said it in his press conference this morning. Good news in my eyes. Know where you're coming from with Welbeck, I can only think that we've been given assurances about it though.

Cleverley's staying with us, Wayne, Fergie said it in his press conference this morning. Good news in my eyes. Know where you're coming from with Welbeck, I can only think that we've been given assurances about it though.

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Cleverly is staying? My bad. Thread on here yesterday which said he'd officially gone to Wigan on loan. I can only assume that if we are keeping him he may get some involvment in the CC and the easier games in the PL which will be as good for his development.

Honestly i think the majority of us accept Dioufs not going to make it here, in the cold light of day the lads just not good enough, it really was a strange buy in the first place and as Brwned says the loan deal to blackburn is really a lose lose situation in the sense even if hes a success Blackburn dont play anything like the same style as we do so whats he proven?

Looks very much like a 'do well and we can flog you for a profit maybe' kind of thing.

You get the feeling it's a break or break season, really. Sending him on loan to a team who play very differently to United going forward means even if he's a success, it just means he's proven in a much more basic system. Doesn't really benefit us hugely, although it'll get him up to pace a bit quicker.

How often have we seen an attacking player go on loan to a team that plays direct football and be a success, and yet still move on after that? The majority of times, I'd imagine.

Have to say the cynic in me makes me think it's a move to put him on the shop window. Still, at least we'll have furthered a young players' career.

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i think this move would do wonders for him. I've never felt that he was our type of player, ie the keeping smart possession, little tricks here and there sort. In fact, i liken him to a player that would thrives in a very direct style of football, ie Sam Allardyce's, where they lump it up for him to impose his physical presence. Afterall, he is very good in the air. Fergie's intention probably was to introduce him to the league, then sell him off for a huge profit.

we've really not seen enough of him to make a full judgement on his chances here but you can understand utd fans being sceptical. he was someone we'd never heard of who has been loaned out at the first oportunity, were he a world beater that wouldn't happen.

having said that, if he has a great season at blackburn i'm sure SAF will have another look at him next pre-season and who knows he might get another chance here off the back of it

this is a good oportunity for Diouf to play regular PL football, it might be just what he needs

Just been to a Blackburn Rovers forum (the first fansite that appears when you Google the club). They don't seem to be overjoyed. There's a minority who don't like him because of where he came from, but the others seem a bit wary too. They're not sure if he's the striker that they need, with that area of the team being weak.

Hopefully he wins their hearts. Then breaks them in the 2011/12 season by scoring hat-tricks against them home and away.

Whilst going to Blackburn will suit him in terms of the football they play, will it be a case of getting stronger at his strengths, and weaker with his faults? Yes, he'll adapt to their style of physical football, however might this further hinder his technical side which he needs to work on to have a long term future at United?

This will obviously be a great chance for Diouf. Provided he starts the majority of games for them, I can see him scoring a few goals and obviously learning a few tricks of the trade etc. He'll do very well to score between 6-10 (league goals) in my opinion. That would probably make him Blackburn's top scorer.